Officials examine if town is paying SAU 61 costs for partner community

By Liz Markhlevskaya

lmark@fosters.com

fosters.com

By Liz Markhlevskaya

lmark@fosters.com

Posted Feb. 28, 2013 at 3:15 AM
Updated Feb 28, 2013 at 5:28 AM

By Liz Markhlevskaya

lmark@fosters.com

Posted Feb. 28, 2013 at 3:15 AM
Updated Feb 28, 2013 at 5:28 AM

MIDDLETON — Officials at School Administrative Unit 61, consisting of Farmington and Middleton school districts, are currently looking at whether Middleton taxpayers are paying some of Farmington School District’s SAU costs.

Middleton School Board Chairwoman Andrew Bowden provided very limited information to Foster’s on the issue Wednesday, and SAU officials could not be reached before press time.

Bowden said that at an AREA agreement committee meeting last week, it was revealed it is possible Middleton is paying some Farmington’s SAU costs, but that has not yet been confirmed. She said she would not comment on the issue until SAU officials have finished looking into the matter.

The AREA committee, consisting of Farmington and Middleton school board members, is meeting monthly to discuss updating the “authorized regional enrollment agreement” referred to as AREA agreement, between the two districts.

Bowden said that the current agreement, which was signed in 1972, is out of date. She said that the AREA committee continues to meet monthly to discuss what goals and priorities each school district has for the new agreement, but would not comment what such priorities are for the Middleton School District, or what the topics of conversation have been during those meetings.